Rhodes College

Suha Aslam of Germantown, Tennessee, has graduated summa cum laude from Rhodes College with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. Aslam also graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. The 177th Commencement Exercises of Rhodes College took place on campus May 16, 2026. The college awarded more than 400 degrees, including the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science in Accounting, and Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Health Equity.

Peyton Rohrig of Missouri City, Texas, has graduated magna cum laude from Rhodes College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Rohrig also graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business. The 177th Commencement Exercises of Rhodes College took place on campus May 16, 2026. The college awarded more than 400 degrees, including the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science in Accounting, and Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Health Equity.

Rhodes College is proud to recognize students named to the Spring 2026 Dean's List. The honor recognizes academic excellence. To qualify for the Dean's List, a student must be enrolled in at least 16 credits of academic work and achieve a semester grade point average of 3.70 or better. Those students who choose to take a course under the Pass/Fail option must have a minimum of 12 additional graded credits of work to be considered for this honor. Students who are enrolled in the Honors Program or independent Research and receive a grade of IP for that work will have their qualifying grade point average determined on all other graded work.

Rhodes College is proud to recognize students named to the Fall 2025 Dean's List. The honor recognizes academic excellence. To qualify for the Dean's List, a student must be enrolled in at least 16 credits of academic work and achieve a semester grade point average of 3.70 or better. Those students who choose to take a course under the Pass/Fail option must have a minimum of 12 additional graded credits of work to be considered for this honor. Students who are enrolled in the Honors Program or independent Research and receive a grade of IP for that work will have their qualifying grade point average determined on all other graded work.

Rhodes College is proud to recognize students named to the Spring 2026 Honor Roll. The honor recognizes academic excellence. To qualify for the Honor Roll, a student must be enrolled in at least 16 credits of academic work and achieve a semester grade point average of 3.85 or better. Those students who choose to take a course under the Pass/Fail option must have a minimum of 12 additional graded credits of work to be considered for this honor. Students who are enrolled in the Honors Program or independent Research and receive a grade of IP for that work will have their qualifying grade point average determined on all other graded work.

Rhodes College is proud to recognize students named to the Fall 2025 Honor Roll. The honor recognizes academic excellence. To qualify for the Honor Roll, a student must be enrolled in at least 16 credits of academic work and achieve a semester grade point average of 3.85 or better. Those students who choose to take a course under the Pass/Fail option must have a minimum of 12 additional graded credits of work to be considered for this honor. Students who are enrolled in the Honors Program or independent Research and receive a grade of IP for that work will have their qualifying grade point average determined on all other graded work.

Anna Claire Tilley, a Rhodes College senior from Fort Smith, AR, has been awarded The Steve and Riea Lainoff Crop Trust Fellowship in Honor of Cary Fowler '71. She is pursuing a major in urban studies and a minor in environmental studies and will support the work of the resource mobilization and communications teams of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in Bonn, Germany, in August 2025. The 12-month fellowship provides the opportunity for a recent graduate to develop an understanding of the Crop Trust's work and the issues associated with agricultural biodiversity conservation. Read Anna Claire's story.

Tanner Chapman, a recent Rhodes College graduate from The Woodlands, TX, has been awarded The Steve and Riea Lainoff Crop Trust Fellowship in Honor of Cary Fowler '71. Chapman earned a bachelor's degree in history/international studies and religious studies (double major). Beginning in August 2026, he will support work of the external affairs team at the Global Crop Diversity Trust in Bonn, Germany.

Annual awards were presented at the 177th Commencement Exercises of Rhodes College held May 16 on campus. GraceAnne Hodgson of Shreveport, LA, received the Peyton Nalle Rhodes Phi Beta Kappa Prize, the college's highest academic honor awarded to the graduating senior who has best demonstrated an exceptional combination of scholarship, creativity, and achievement and a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences.

Annual awards were presented at the 177th Commencement Exercises of Rhodes College held May 16 on campus. Abigail Figueroa of Los Angeles, CA, received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award presented to a graduating senior who has given selflessly to the college and others. In cooperation with the New York Southern Society, Rhodes presents the award annually to two graduating seniors and one non-student.

Rhodes College senior Yasmine Pirlepesova has been selected to receive the competitive Fulbright Study/Research Award and will conduct research in Nepal, focusing on innovative methods of educating youth and advocating for rural communities facing challenges related to climate change. The Fulbright Program currently facilitates the exchange of students and scholars between the United States and more than 140 countries, and applications for 2026-2027 continue to be reviewed. Rhodes is among the top producers of Fulbright U.S. Students. Read her story.

Parth Sinojia, a Rhodes College senior from Cordova, Tenn., has been selected to receive the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which provides a $40,000 stipend for 12 months to travel and pursue an original project on a global scale. He is one of only 37 fellows selected in the nation for 2025 and the only Watson Fellow selected from a Tennessee college or university. His project is titled "Health and Homelessness: Accessing Medical Care Systems," with proposed destinations of Japan, Costa Rica, South Africa, and Singapore. Read Parth's story.

Johnathan Burch, a political science and health equity double major at Rhodes College, is among 55 outstanding college students from across the country who have been named 2026 Truman Scholars. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation recently made the announcement. Read Johnathan's story.

Rhodes College is pleased to announce that Mitchell Leander, an urban studies major from Nashville, TN, has been selected as a finalist for the highly esteemed Truman Scholarship. He was selected from among hundreds of applicants nationally to interview this March. Winners will be announced in April. Read his story.

As Rhodes Student Government president, Johnathan Burch's top priority is to make Rhodes a welcoming space for all students. "I want to support a strong Rhodes community that is guided by the unique perspectives of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff, making sure that all voices are at the table." Read his story.

Anna Yates, a Rhodes College senior from Little Rock, AR, has been rising through the ranks of the Rhodes Student Government. Now, she has stepped into the role of student body president and has high hopes for what the year will bring. Read Anna's story.

Maya Underwood, a Rhodes College junior philosophy major from Nashville, TN, is rounding out her liberal arts experience with volunteer work, pre-med education, and musical training. In a year, she will be on her way to George Washington University's School of Medicine and Health Sciences, thanks to Rhodes' Health Professions Advising Early Selection Program. Read Maya's story.

Rhodes College is proud to recognize students named to the Fall 2024 Honor Roll. The honor recognizes academic excellence. To qualify for the Honor Roll, a student must be enrolled in at least 16 credits of academic work and achieve a semester grade point average of 3.85 or better. Those students who choose to take a course under the Pass/Fail option must have a minimum of 12 additional graded credits of work to be considered for this honor. Students who are enrolled in the Honors Program or independent Research and receive a grade of IP for that work will have their qualifying grade point average determined on all other graded work.

Rhodes College is proud to recognize students named to the Spring 2024 Honor Roll. The honor recognizes academic excellence.

Johnathan Burch, a sophomore political science major at Rhodes College from Charlotte, NC, has been selected for the 2025 Douglass-O'Connell Global Internship awarded by The Council on International Educational Exchange and the African American Irish Diaspora Network. He will join a diverse cohort of 12 high-achieving students who will participate in an eight-week international internship program in Dublin, Ireland, this summer. Read Johnathan's story.

Sophie Snodgrass, a junior biology major at Rhodes College, knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from early childhood-some of her earliest memories are of playing vet with a toy kit she was gifted at just three years old. Now, she no longer plays at being a veterinarian; at Rhodes, the Fayetteville, AR, native is gaining invaluable hands-on experience with giraffes, rhinos, zebras, and other exotic animals through internships with the Memphis Zoo. Read Sophie's story.